Air cleaning and conditioning apparatus



Sept. 29,

AIR

CLEANING AND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Nov.

HILL 1,824,891

FIG. 2;

gwuentoo Earl V2 rncm. Hi

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES VERNON BILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AIR CLEANING AND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Application filed November 10, 1980. Serial No. 494,746;

This invention relates to an air cleaning and conditioning apparatus, and comprlses an air cleaning and cooling chamber contaming water, rotatable discs therein for creating 5 fog, refrigerating means for the water, a reversible eliminator for intercepting dust and entrained water carried by the air, in combination with a rotatable fan, and a power supply, all of which is more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the prior art, it has been common practice to wash air by passing the same thru eliminators which are kept wet by suitably spaced spray'heads having spray nozzles to which the water is pumped. The spra or mist nozzles. become easily clogged an require considerable attention. Moveover, the water must be filtered or screened, as dirty water clogs the nozzles.- The arrangement is o expensive, re uiring pipes and pumps, constant care, and a large amount of power.

The ideal air washing, cooling and humidifying device is one which would cause a perfectmist or fog to be produced when air and water meet, and which would provide at all times a clean wet eliminator surface to remove the dirt and entrained water by impingement of the same upon its surface. These requisites, together with low operating cost, little care and maintenance, have been the desired objects of aerologists. As a matter of common knowledge, however, it has heretoforebeen considered impossible to get a desirable fog or mist without using filtered or screened 5 water; and it has also been necessary to clean eliminator plates when the back portion farthest from the air supply became dirty, even though the front portion of the plate rem mained v comparatively clean.

I have overcome the above disadvantages by providing means for creating mist and fog with a minimum of large water drops by rotating a series of smooth discs at high speed in a water tank, the speed of rotation of which that when the back portion of the elimina is proportionate to the speed of rotation of the fan which discharges the air into the chamber. I have also provided a reversible eliminator to be used in conjunction with the above, {to

becomes dirty it may be reversed to become the front portion.

' ,My invention also embraces the provision of refrigerating or cooling means for the water supply. The water is maintained atthe desired temperature by suitable refrigerating apparatus. This temperature is below the wet bulb temperature of the air and preferably below its' dew point. V I am thus able to obtain by my apparatus and process three distinct functions; viz, cooling, cleaning, and dehumidifying. If desired I may also humidify. This is done in the well-known manner of keeping the water at a temperature above the dew point of the airsteam may be passed through the coil 15, if

In the drawings, I have indicated one embodiment of my invention, although I do not wish to be limited thereto, in which Figure 1 is a view inside elevation with a portion of the casing broken away to show the interior of the chamber;

Figure 2 is a plan view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; i

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken line 3--3 of Figure 1. 7

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the housing or casing 1 has a chamber 2 therein adaptedto contain Water up to the dotted line 3. Air is adapted to be discharged into the chamber, thru the entrance 4 by the fan 5 suitably supported on the base 6 and actuated by the motor 7. Suitably positioned in the chamber 2 is the rotatable shaft 8 carrying a series of spaced discs 9 which are driven by the motor 7 bypulley and belt as shown. Spaced to the rear of discs 9 is the eliminator 1O pivoted at 11 in the thrust bearing 12 and having the crank-handle 13 attached to its top portion, so that it may be reversed. Exit 14 marks the discharge end of chamber 2. A cooling or refrigerating coil 15 is asso ciated with the water in the casing. Preferably, this coil is located in contactwith the water, altho it will be understood that the water may be refrigerated at somedistant source and supplied to the apparatus at the proper temperature. v

In operation, the fan and disc speed are adjusted to produce the best'air-mi'st mixalong the desired.

i which bafile mist and is kept clean.

- The dirt is deposited on the eliminator plates at the outlet by evaporation of the water from the plates. This adhering dirt is washed down into the tank when the eliminator is reversed.

By turning the crank 13, the eliminator is reversed so that alternate surfaces are presented and the eliminator iskept clean in continuous operation.

The temperature ofthe water is. kept below the wet bulb temperature of the air, and preferably below its dew point. The amount of water handled by the discs is proportional to the number of discs, and the water requirement for cooling purposes can be regulated by the number 0 discs used.

The fan discs arerotated in a counter clockwise direction. The thin film of water adhering to the discs is thrown off in drops b centrifugal force in a tangential direction upwardly. The incoming air in a l'lOIlzontal direction meets the drops, preferably homogeneously nebulizing the same, and the dust particles contained in the air serve as nuclei which precipitate a fine fog or mist in the chamber. This mist is driven to impinge upon the eliminator bafile plates, which impingement causes deposition of dust nuclel and their surrounding water particles.

I'believe that I am the first in the art to discover that air can be much more efl'ectively-cooled and cleaned than hitherto practiced by causing the impurities therein to serve as mist precipitants in the presence of cooled mist and then separating the mist and contained nuclei therefrom.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple structure that proportions the amount of mist and fog produced to the air which enters therein so that humidity and air washing can be accurately controlled; and struc- V ture that uses a comparatively small amount of power due to the small resistance of the water centrifuged; a structure that provides a self-cleaning reversible eliminator so that operation can be continuous; a structure that does not depend on filters, screens, or nozzles to clean and atomize the water.

It will be understood that I'may provide the discs with serrations, crimpings, corrugations, erforations, notches, ribs, or have them dis ed, if desired; and though these latter provisions may cause more power to be use to be formed with decrease of mist or fog, I consider this within my invention with regard to cooling the water below the wet bulb and a great quantity of large drops temperature of the air; and also with regard to providing reversible eliminator means thereto.

What I claim, is:

1. In an air washing and humidifying apparatus, the combination of a casing member defining a washing chamber and a stationary eliminator therein, said eliminator being reversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing so that opposite faces thereof may be alternately opposed to to incoming current of air.

2. In combination, an air conditioning apparatus having a washing chamber, a stationary eliminator therein, said eliminator being reversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing so that opposite faces thereof may be alternately opposed to the incoming current of air, and means adapted to form a mist or fog to contact the eliminator plates.

3. In combination, an air conditioning apparatus having a washing chamber, a stationary eliminator therein. said eliminator being reversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing so that opposite faces thereof may be alternately opposed to the incoming current of air, and rotatable discs in the washing chamber adapted to form a mist or fog to wash the air and contact the eliminator plates.

4. In combination, an air conditioning apparatus having an air washing chamber. a stationary eliminator therein, said eliminator being reversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing so that opposite faces there-'- of may be alternately opposed to the incoming current of air, and means in the chamber to centrifugally atomize water to mix with the air and contact the eliminator plates.

- 5. In an air conditioning device, a casing" defining a washing and humidi ing chamber, fan means associated therewith for discharging air into the chamber, means in the chamber for nebulizing water, and a stationary eliminator mounted in the chamber to" catch dust and water particles from the treated air, said eliminator being reversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing so that opposite faces thereof may be alternately opposed to the incoming current of air.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 having a thermal coil in the washing chamber.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 2 havmg a refrigerating coil in the washing chamher.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 3 having refrigerating means in the washing chamber.

9. In an air cooling, cleaning and dehumidifying apparatus, the combination of a casing defining a washing, cooling and dehumidifying chamber, fan means adjacent said chamber for discharging air thru said chamber, centrifugal discs rotatably mounted in the chamber operable to contact with water in sa id chamber andcause a fine mist therein refrigerating means associated with said chamber operable to cool said water, and a stationary eliminator moi nted in the chamber in spaced relation to said discs to'remove I impurities in said dehumidified air, said eliminator being reversible about an axis fixedwith .resp t to the casing sojthat opposite faces thereof may be alternately opposed to the incoming current of air.

10." In an air washing andX humidifying apparatus, the combination of a casing member, defining';-a washing chamber and a stationary eliminator pivotally mounted therein, said elim nator comprising zig zag baffles and said eliminator beingreversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing so that opposite faces thereof may be alternately opposed to the current of air flowing through the apparatus. I

M 11. In an air washing and humidifying apiparatus, the combination of a casing member defining a washing chamber and\ a stationary reversible eliminator associated therewifii v comprising-means to bafiie the air passijg therethrough, and-said elimihator being pivotally mounted and reversible about an axis fixed with respect to the casing sothat opposite faces thereof may be alternately op-- 3 posed to the said air.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand.

\ EARL VERNON HILL. 

